Migrants criticise Dutch Social Democrats

The social-democratic Dutch Labour Party is not an option for migrants in the Netherlands' upcoming local elections, write prominent intellectuals, including well-known immigrants, in the daily NRC Handelsblad. They hold the party responsible for turning public opinion against Muslims: "Why are those who fan civil frustration barely contradicted? … Why haven't we put paid to this right-wing populism that has soiled our politics and debate for so long? ... Instead of putting the irregularities [in integration] in a socio-historical context, as expected, we have a social-democratic party that is allowing culture and religion to rule the day. Doesn't the party realise that a focus on culture can easily sound like an excuse for racist discourse? Every day we read in the newspapers and see in the survey results of the [right-wing populist] Freedom Party how this excuse works."

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